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The second half of the NBA season is off and running, and two terrific teams are set to square off in Philadelphia on Saturday night. Philadelphia is trying to make a push to the top spot in the Eastern Conference, while the Portland Trail Blazers are jockeying for playoff positioning in the Western Conference. The Trail Blazers beat the 76ers by 36 points earlier this season, and you know that Philadelphia has revenge on their minds.
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Philadelphia earned a 106-102 victory over the Miami Heat in their first game after the break. The Sixers come in with a 38-21 record, and sit in third place in the Eastern Conference. Portland blew out the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night to win their second straight game. The Trail Blazers bring a 35-23 record into this game, and are in third place in the Northwest Division. The 76ers are a small favorite at home in this game.
No Embiid For Philly
The Philadelphia 76ers begin the second half of the NBA season without their All-Star center, Joel Embiid. Embiid is expected to miss at least a week with knee soreness, and his absence is a huge loss for the Sixers team. The big man is averaging 27.3 points and 13.5 rebounds per game this season, and is the focal point of the offense in Philadelphia.
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Look for the Sixers to do more scoring from the perimeter without Embiid patrolling the point. Point guard Ben Simmons had 21 points in the win over the Heat, and is averaging 16.8 points and 7.8 assists per game this season. The key for the Sixers might be the addition of Tobias Harris prior to the trade deadline. Harris is pouring in close to 20 points per game since arriving in Philly, and gives the Sixers another legit scoring threat.
Blazers Suddenly Have Inside Scoring
The Trail Blazers have always had a dynamic duo in the backcourt, but they suddenly have two studs inside. Center Jusuf Nurkic is averaging 15.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game this season, and exploded for 27 and 12 on Thursday night. Portland was able to bring in veteran Enes Kanter before the All-Star Break as well, and the former Knick had 18 points and 9 rebounds in his Portland debut. Nurkic and Kanter could dominate this game with Embiid being out.
Portland is in the top-10 in scoring this season, averaging 113.3 points per game. The backcourt combo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum is a big reason why. Lillard and McCollum have combined to score more than 47 points per game this season, and can both knock down the three. The Blazers have gone just 11-15 away from home this season, and will need their guards to shoot well if they are going to stop that trend.
Sixers Win at Home
Even without Joel Embiid, the Sixers still have a ton of talent and can score against anyone. Philadelphia has been tough to beat at home this season, and they look like a real threat to win the Eastern Conference. Portland now has more than just a terrific backcourt, but their struggles away from home are concerning. This should be a high-scoring affair, but the Sixers just have too much offense. Bet the Philadelphia 76ers over the Portland Trail Blazers.
